Fastening clasp



Aug. 24 1926. 1,597,227

. E. WRIGHT FASTENING CLASP Filed March l924 ures 3 and 4;, comprises a single Patented Aug. 24, 1926.

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EDITH. WRIGHT; OF GERMA-NTOWN; PENNSYLVANIA.

FASTENING AppllbatibwfileW-Mkrcfi 28} 1924. Serial No. 702,628.

simplicity, and one which is positive of its:

clasping actionwhen: in use:

Other objects and advantages": of this invention will. be apparent from the following description taken in; eonj unctioir with the a0 companying drawings, in which:

Figure-1 is a plan view of an envelope witlr the flap t h'ereof in open position: show ing'theolasp in position on." said envelope}.

Figure 2* is a-pl'am view of an envelope-in cl 'osed position 'wit h the claspshown in: loclied positionz Figure 3 is a perspe'et-i was viewro'f the clasp;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of theolhsp in OPEIDPQQSitlOTl'; 1

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on the: line 5-'-5"-of 'F-igure 2..

Figure 6 is a view of a modified form of the clasp.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawings, the clasp,

as will be seen in Figiece of flexible material such as a strip 0 thin metal, having a lower section 2, the extreme lower end of the latter being provided with prongs 3 for securing the clasp to an envelope. The lower section 2 is further provided with oppositely arranged prongs 4 which prongs are positioned just below the middle of the entire strip. If desired, the strip may be scored as shown at 5 at a line substantially midway between the ends of the strip, for a purpose to be hereafter described. l

The strip, more particularly portion 2 thereof, is provided with an opening 5, which is shown as rectangular but which obviously might be of any shape desired, said opening being arranged substantially midway of the lower portion 2 of the strip.

The end of the upper portion 1 of the strip is bent upwardly as shown at 6 and preferably has its edges tapered as shown at 7.

A tongue 8 is provided which is preferably triangular in shape and which is struck upwardly from the. material of the upper portion 1 of the strip, said tongue being positioned substantially at right angles to the material of the strip and immediately below: the upwaudly bent endi or guardi 6..

tioni off the clasp in: whiclr the material? of portion: 2* of the strip is struck down ardly: to form a gnideway 9which Willi guide the tongue" 8, into locking position as will be, hereafter described.

Inmse the clasp-is attached to an envelope as shown iinFigune 1 with-the prongs-'3 and; at supporting the clasp by engaging the mar terial. in an obvious- 1112111116312 The closing; flap: of; the envelope is: provided with. an opening 101 and it will be" obvious: from an. inspection of'Figure" 2"that; the upper portion' 1 of." the strip willI pass through the" opening I0 and is: folded! over: uponportion ofithetstnip (see Figure 5),.thetongue 8" being pressed through the materiall of the' closing flap of the envelope and passing lIltOithB opening whereupon a: slight pres sure on theend of portion 1' of the strip will senve to bendi a tongue 8+to the position shown in Figure 5 The free end of= portion 1'? ofi tho stzxip w-ill assume the position. shown in F igu-res 2 and 5, the end 6 serving as a guard as will be obvious, and the tapered edges 7 will facilitate the easy 1emoval of the clasp from its locked position when desired.

While I have found the structure shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 to be fully satisfactory in use, I have devised the modification shown in Figure 6 wherein the material of the lower portion 2 will serve as av means for guiding the tongue 8 into the position shown in Figure 5. This type of clasp is particularly adapted for satisfactory use where the material of the envelope is of such texture thatthe tongue 8 will not readily fold to the position illustrated in Figure 5.

From the above it is believed that the structure and operation of this invention will be fully apparent to those skilled in the art but desire it understood that while the drawings show the preferred embodiment of the invention, various changes in the form and proportions of the device may be made such as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A clasp comprising a piece of foldable metal having on the lower portion thereof a plurality of sets of prongs for attaching the clasp to an envelope or the like, said lower portion being provided with an opening between said sets of prongs, and a tongue on the upper portion of said metal, and so positioned as to enter said opening when the metal is in folded position whereby to secure the clasp to the envelope or the like.

2. A clasp comprising a piece of metal adapted to be folded upon itself forming upper and lower sections, a plurality of sets of prongs on the lower section, said lower section being provided with an opening between said sets of prongs, the end of said upper section being bent to form a guard, and a tongue struck from the material of said upper section and so positioned as to enter the before mentioned opening.

3. A clasp of the kind described comprising apiece of foldable material having a weakened section intermediate the ends thereof defining a line of fold for said material, oppositely arranged prongs at the lower end of said material, oppositely ar ranged prongs on said material adjacent the weakened section, said oppositely arranged prongs being so formed and arranged as to attach the clasp to an envelope or the like, said material being provided with an opening between said sets of prongs, and a tongue struck from the upper portion of the material and so positioned as to enter the before mentioned opening when said material is in folded position and retain the folded portion in interlocking relation with the remaining portion.

4. A clasp of the kind described comprising a piece of foldable material having a plurality of sets of prongs on the lower portion thereof, one of said sets defining the line of fold for the material, said material having between said sets of prongs a portion struck therefrom forming a guideway, a tongueformed on the upper portion of said material and so positioned as to engage said guideway when the material is in folded position and to retain the two sec-- tions thereof in interlocked relation.

5. A clasp comprising a piece of foldable material having on the lower portion thereof a plurality of oppositely disposed sets of prongs for attaching the clasp to an envelope or the like and an opening between said sets of prongs, an upper portion having a prong struck from the material thereof at a point removed from the ends of said upper portion and a bent end forming a guard, said upper portion being so arranged as to be folded over upon said lower section with the prong of said upper section within the opening in said lower section whereby to secure the clasp to an envelope or the like.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. 

